


Burn

by ScarlxtWidxw



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-05-12
Packaged: 2019-10-26 12:56:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 4,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17746313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarlxtWidxw/pseuds/ScarlxtWidxw
Summary: Sam Wilson is dead. A great hero and Avenger, killed in action. Before his death, he left his 4-year-old daughter adopted Shaylee in the care of Steve and Bucky. As time goes on, Shaylee not only finds out about herself, but she also learns about the man she used to look up to, and the truth shocks everyone.





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Uh, I came up with this on the bus and I wanted to write about it. I hope y'all enjoy.  
> Please ignore the giant plot holes and the roughness of the story in general. I'm trying my best (: I'm working on fixing it when I have time.  
> P.S Everything isn’t supposed to line up with the comics and movies btw. So please don’t get upset.

There were three loud knocks on the door.  
“Cap, open up!”  
“Steve, do you have any clue as to why Sam’s here at 4 a.m?”  
”I don't know, he hasn't even called me in 2 weeks.  
Steve gets out of his bed and walks to the door. He peers out of the peephole. He sees Sam in his full gear and his daughter Shaylee. He opens the door and greets the two.  
”Hey Sam, hey Shay!”  
Steve engulfs her into a hug and ruffles her kinky hair.  
”Hi, Uncle Steve, where's Uncle Bucky?”  
”He's sleeping, why don't you watch some tv and wait for him to get up.”  
She drops her pink glitter bookbag and runs to the couch.  
”Hey Cap, can you come to help me get this stuff?”  
”Are you okay Sam, you're acting strangely.”  
”Yeah, I'm fine. I need you to do me a favor. A huge one.”  
They get to Sam’s black SUV and pops the trunk. ”Anything buddy, what do you need?”  
”I need you to watch Shaylee for a while, and Redwing.”  
He pulls the falcon out of his trunk. It stands at attention and nods at its owner. He hands Redwing to Steve. ”Sam, what's going on? You're not running off and doing something bad are you?” Sam sighs and pulled out Shaylee’s suitcase and hair supply bag and placed it on the ground. ”I join the military again. They're sending me on a secret assignment in about 5 hours. I can't tell you anything else but just know that I'll be back soon. Steve, please take care of my baby. She's already been through so much.” Redwing makes a loud squawk. ”And take care of Redwing too.” Sam hands Steve Shaylee's bags and closes the trunk. ”And Steve, please keep her safe.” Same gets into his SUV and drives off. Steve didn't know that this would be the last time he would see his best friend. Steve walked to the door slowly, carrying Redwing and Shaylee's stuff. Why did he tell him this earlier? What else could he be hiding from him? What has Shaylee even been through? He walks in the house and sees Shaylee's and Bucky eating cereal at the table. ”Aww, eating cereal without me? ” Steve places her bags on the floor and places Redwing on the table. ”We were hungry Uncle Steve. My stomach was growling.” Shaylee begins to growl and show her teeth. Steve and Bucky chuckle. It felt like their little family was completed. They both wanted children, but not right now. Being heroes meant that anything could go wrong. You can win or lose. Being a hero isn't stable like a desk job. You may come back home, you may not. The good guys aren't always victorious. ”I'm done, Uncle Steve, ” she shows him her empty bowl. ”Can I go watch some more tv?” ”You got to unpack first, and besides too much tv rots the brain.” ”I don't want my brain to rot Uncle Steve! I don't want to be a zombie! You won't let me become a zombie, Uncle Bucky. ” Shaylee grabs Bucky's shirt and begins to cry. ”I won't let you become a zombie Shay.” He pats her head. ”Why don't you go unpack? I got to take me an old man nap. And when I get up we can go to the park!” She wipes her tears. ”You promise Uncle Bucky?” ”I promise.” ”Pinky promise.” She holds out her pinky and Bucky latches on. ”Ok Uncle Bucky! Let's go to my room Reddie!” She lets the bird out of its cage and it perches on her shoulder, she grabs her hair bag and drags her suitcase to the empty guest room they painted in pink for her last summer. ”Well let's go back to bed. We have a long day tomorrow and it's still early Steve.” ”I’ll lay down after Shay and the bird go to bed. I really don't want another surprise breakfast like last time. The purple eggs didn't agree with my stomach.” ”Alright, then. Don't stay up too long! Night.” He walks into their room and closes the door. ”Goodnight baby!”


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for taking so long to update! I kinda got writers block but I will be updating this story more often! This chapter will have a part 2 btw.

Steve an Bucky looked at Shaylee’s hair puzzled. They looked in her hair bag, filled with different types of hair moisturizers, hair accessories, brushes, and one toothbrush. They researched a solution until Shaylee finally gave a four-year-old explanation for everything. She wanted a few braids, but everyone eventually settled for a puff. It was the best that Bucky could do while Steve cleaned Redwing, who Shaylee covered in bright pink glitter. 

"Ouchy Uncle Bucky, comb from the ends!" 

Bucky apologized and began to brush Shaylee's hair from the ends. He then kept following her directions until they arrived with a slightly lopsided puff. But Shaylee didn't mind and she still gave her uncle the biggest hug she could give. 

"Finished?"

Steve emerged from the bathroom with Redwing, who didn't seem like a happy bird. Steve set the bird in its cage and helped Shaylee put on her shoes.

"Hey Uncle Steve, did you guys get hurt last night, because I heard a lot of weird noises from your room."

Bucky and Steve quickly looked at each other.

"Hey Shay, lets go get some ice cream."

She cheered and shot up from her seat. Steve pushed himself up and shuffled everyone to the car.

"Lets take that one Uncle Steve!" 

 Shaylee pointed to Steve's 1940 Impala painted a sky blue. Shaylee loved that car, and she would wonder constantly why he kept it covered in a plastic tarp, sealed away from the outside. But for the first time he actually said,

"Sure, that sounds like a good idea." 

Her brown eyes lit up and she ran to the glistening blue car, she ran her tiny fingers over the plastic tarp. Her uncles gently removed the tarp and folded it.

"Please be careful." Steve looked worried for his prized car.

"We will, we promise Uncle Steve." 

Shaylee and Bucky said it unison in a gleeful tone, saluting him afterwards.

Steve sighed playfully and told them to get in. He ran his fingers over the steering wheel and tuned the radio to his favorite station. It played only the classics from his childhood up until the sixties. Shaylee just recognized these as songs her Uncles had on big cd's. A song called "Stormy Weather" by Ethel Waters. It was a song they all liked, Uncle Bucky used to sing it to her sometimes when she was scared. His smooth voice soothed her at night. Steve began to sing first as they drove down the highway to a small ice cream shop in a quieter area of New York. Bucky quickly joined in, singing as out of tune as he could.   
"I'm a great singer, aren't I Steve?"

Steve playfully rolled his eyes as he pulled into the parking lot of the tiny ice cream shop. He stopped the car and opened Shaylee's door, letting her out and holding her hand. They walked in, instantly greeted by an older Hispanic woman. Shaylee quickly hugged the woman, who was like a grandmother to her. The woman began talking to her in Spanish, squeezing her shoulders. She then motioned Steve and Bucky over to get their ice cream. Scooping extra ice cream for them. Steve began to pull out his wallet, but the woman shook his head.

''No charge."

She said it with a thick Spanish accent and smiled at them.

"Bye, come back soon! Danielle would love to see you!" 

She waved as the left the shop with ice cream in hand...

 


	3. Part something?

They walked over to a nearby park. She was slightly hesitant, but they softly nudged her closer to the playground equipment. 

”We’ll be right here ok!” 

Steve gave her a reassuring look as she looked at them. Then finally she ran over to the sandbox, where another girl was playing. She sat down and began to mold a small house, that is before a boy in a striped shirt kicked it in her face. He then grabbed a handful and poured it on her hair. Shaylee didn't say anything. She stayed seated in the sandbox and pushed the boy back by the power of her mind. She then released two claws from both hands. Steve and Bucky were so engulfed in conversation that they didn't notice Shaylee walking towards the helpless boy pinned down, now screaming in terror for his life. Everyone looked over and Bucky quickly ran towards Shaylee, letting her metal claws clash on his arm. He quickly picked her up as she retracted her claws and came back to her senses. Steve jogged over and the mother of the boy did the same.

”Is everyone o-”

”Get that girl, that _freak_ away from my son!”

The mother said that along with everything else, such hatred and disgust that even Shaylee began to cry.

”Ma’am I'm pretty sure she didn't mean to. Sh-”

No matter what he said, the mother wouldn't calm down. Everyone began to look and record the commotion on their phones. 

”Put that mutie down, or keep it on a leash.”

”We should just go Steve.”

Bucky put his hand on his shoulder and gave him the ”It’s not worth it look.”

They all got in the car and stayed silent. Bucky tried to console Shaylee, but it wasn’t working. She was still crying uncontrollably.

”I didn't mean to!” 

She kept saying the same thing in between sobs as she cried into Bucky’s shirt. 

Bucky and Steve were curious and concerned. Was this the Shaylee they knew and loved? Did they even know their niece? There were so many questions and not enough answers. 

As soon as they arrived home, they all sat around the dining room table. Shaylee spoke first asking her uncles very softly,

”Am I a freak?”

Before they could answer, Kitty Pryde phased through the dining room wall. Bucky focused his stare to the mystery woman and asked what everyone was thinking.  

”Who the hell are you?”

 


	4. Lmao idk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s some violence here so be careful!

“I’m Kitty Pryde, and you are not a freak,”

Kitty squat down to look Shaylee in the eye. 

”You are a mutant. Like me, and thousands of others.”

Kitty then stood up and addressed everyone.

”I was at the park when she showed her special gifts, my daughter Jean was actually sitting in the same sandbox. What I'm saying, Captain America, is that she deserves to be with children like her, to be taught by teachers like her, that understand her more personally. She is already so powerful at such a young age and she’ll need someone to help her control those powers and lead her down the right path.” 

Kitty pulled out a black folder and placed it on the table.

”Ma’am”

 Steve had so many questions, and honestly, he still had a bad taste in his mouth from what happened last time (Avengers vs. X-Men). Today felt like a surreal dream to him.

But it was too late, she already phased out of the house.

”Maybe we should invest in that security camera now Steve.” 

Steve lightly pushed Bucky as he reached for his ringing phone. 

”Sam’s calling.”

With that Shaylee ran and grabbed Steve’s phone and answered it.

”Hi, Daddy!”

Shaylee had lit up at the sight of Sam. She loved her uncles, but she really missed her father, more than anything.

”Hi Shay, where are your uncles?”

She turned the camera so he could see them, they both waved and kept talking about their eventful day quietly.

Bucky opened the black folder and spread its contents on the table. 

”You know Steve, this school doesn't look too bad.”

”It doesn't, but it's not like we can just send her off without her dad even knowing about the school, or you know, the events that lead up to that lady and the school.”

”Hey, Sam, ” 

He looked over at Sam, he thought he saw someone behind Sam, maybe just a colleague or a friend.

”Yeah, Ste-”

Before Sam could finish, a metal bullet exited his head and his lifeless body fell forward. His blood splattered on the camera screen. The man then shot the device Sam was using after looking in the camera himself, placing his finger over his lips covered by his mask. 

Shaylee began to scream and cry out for Sam. Steve, still in shock, picked up Shaylee and kicked the phone she dropped. He didn't know, but he was crying as much as Shaylee. Bucky buried his face in his hands and began to cry himself. 

After what happened, there's nothing to say and nothing to but just cry. And they did just that. 


	5. ???

”How about I give Shay a bath and put her to bed. You can get some rest. 

Bucky sat next to the crying pair, he slowly pulled Shaylee from Steve’s grip. Bucky wanted to tell them that it was going to be okay, but he didn't want to lie. He didn't know what was going to happen actually. 

Bucky has seen the horrors of war, brainwashed, dusted, hurt plenty and hurt others, hell he even lost his arm. But nothing he has been through could possibly compare to seeing your father, the only parent figure you had, die in front of you in cold-blood murder. At such a young age. He knew that it would be one thing she would never get over.

That day, that very moment, Shaylee wasn't the little girl he loved and raised as his own. She became distant like apart of her died with her father. 

He could tell from the minute he placed her in the tub. 

She didn't want to play with her bath toys or splash him with water. She just wanted to bathe and get out. She didn't even ask for her special towel. She didn't ask for her nighttime Bucky bear, or to call Nat for a bedtime story. She just slowly walked to her room, wiping away stray tears. She didn't even wish him good night. 

Steve still sat on the sofa crying. Bucky sat down beside him and gave him a hug, rocking him back and forth. 

He didn't know what to say or what to do. It wasn't time to lighten the mood, or do anything. 

”It’s my fault.”

”What do you mean Steve?”

”I saw someone behind him, I should have warned him. But I didn't know that the man would kill him.”

And with that Steve began to cry harder into Bucky’s shirt.

”You had no control over that. You didn't know.”

”But what if I said something, Buck? He would still be here.”

“I know it’s hard, especially for you, but sometimes you can’t save them all. Sometimes you can't do anything about it. But saving everyone you can, that makes you a hero. Please go get some rest.”

Steve sluggishly walked to their room and closed the door, but Bucky knew that he wasn't resting at all. He was in their wide-awake beating himself up. 

He felt his phone buzz, Nat was calling.

”Hey, Natasha.”

”Hey, I just heard the news, is everyone okay.”

”No, the kid especially is taking it the hardest, she watched her dad did in front of her. I don't think she'll ever be okay.”

”If there's anything I can do, just tell me please.”

”Actually there is, meet me at my house tomorrow with any S.H.I.E.L.D. file you have on Shay, 6:30 am.”

”May I ask why?”

”I’ll tell you when you get here tomorrow at 6:30 am.”

”But I-”

”6:30, goodnight.”


	6. 6️⃣

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I just got a burst of creative energy so here y'all go

Natasha knocked on the door with the files at exactly 6:30 am.

”Do you know what I had to do for these files?”

Bucky explained everything that happened yesterday. The telekinesis, the claws, the death, everything. 

”Sam did say he adopted Shay, but no average baby has claws and telekinesis. Some lady, Kitty I think, gave us this.”

He handed her the black folder. 

”Xavier...Jean Grey...mutantkind...Maybe this will answer some of your questions.”

She slid him the S.H.I.E.L.D file and kept looking at the content in the black folder. Bucky opened the file. 

”What the hell.”

The word ”Weapon V program” kept showing up everywhere. What was it with all of these weapon programs? He kept looking at the pictures horrified. They were experimenting on kids for the perfect human weapon. According to this file, Shaylee was the only successful experiment, but she wasn't the only one to survive. He couldn't believe that his Shaylee was on the path of being a killing machine. 

”Natasha?”

”Yes?”

”You wouldn't think that maybe Sam’s death would have something to do with Shay?”

”I want to say no, but at this point anything is possible. Maybe that school might be the best place for Shay, you know safety-wise. Well, I should go.”

”Bye Nat.”

Bucky kept looking at the files, trying to make everything make sense. He made himself some coffee, trying to stay awake and comprehend the files, but the Sandman caught up to him eventually, along with all of his grief that he pushed down that day. He had to be the rock, the sturdy one, for everyone else, but even rocks can be broken sometimes.


	7. 🔨

After Natasha left, Bucky turned on the tv. Usually an old movie would be playing at this time, and give him that warm feeling of nostalgia. Just something to make him feel better. But his daily favorites, Casablanca or Gone With the Wind weren't playing. Instead, breaking news reports of Sam’s death was everywhere. Every channel, every moment of silence, every early morning candlelight vigil just reminded him, that this wasn't a dream, but a cold reality. He wanted it to me like an episode of the Twilight Zone. Maybe that was just a clone that died and the real Sam would be here any moment, and Rod Serling would send us off with a twisted happily ever after.

”Fallen hero-”

”Brave hero Sam-”

”Famous Avenger known as the Fal-”

He shut off the tv. He stretched across the sofa and closed his eyes. Maybe when he woke up everything would be normal. Everyone would be happy, and alive. But his slumber was interrupted by a knock on the door. Misty Knight stood there holding a stack of papers. 

”Do I know you?”

”I’m Mercedes Knight, but I prefer Misty. I and Sam were pretty close. Lovers actually. Sam left me this before he left, and I never thought I would have to see these papers again, but I guess I didn't pray hard enough. I and a few friends are going to deal with his body like he asked.”

She wiped away a few tears and handed Bucky the papers.

”Well, I should get going, nice meeting you.”

She stuck out her bionic arm for a handshake and quickly left. 

He threw down the papers and went back to sleep. He didn't think he could take any more information for the rest of the year. With every breath, he fell deeper into his well deserved slumber 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ooh heads up, I’m basing Shaylee’s skills off of Weapon Hex just to let ya know.

It's been eleven years. Shaylee was now 15. Not old enough to legally drive, or buy a cigarette, but to officially own Sam’s house and everything in it. She approached and unlocked the door and let everyone in. At the same time, unlocking the door unlocked the loneliness, anger, and bitterness she kept under chains for so long.

She walked in and knocked off some dust on the now retro sofa and kept walking around thinking about the past, when everything was ok. She walked in Sam’s study and smelled the familiar scent she was fondly used to.

She looked around and picked up a picture of her and Sam.

”How could you? You said you were going to give me the world, how are you going to do that if you're dead?! How could you just leave me and Mercedes? How?”

She pulled the picture closer. 

“I needed you. I still need you. I have “gifts” I don’t know how to deal with, let alone want.”

She threw the picture down, shattering the glass. Bucky tried to approach her, but she put a barrier around her. One of the endless things her powers allowed her to do. 

”Don’t touch me.”

She walked out of the house and into the busy streets of New York. By the time her uncles got out of the house, she blended in with everyone else. They called out to her to no avail. She was gone.

They drove all over, called every single person they knew, police stations and hotlines. They were getting desperate until they saw someone that resembled her in an alley. She was standing over a bleeding out man, blood dripping down her claws, a powerful pink aura surrounding her. She looked at her uncle’s car with eyes that seemed to be missing.

Bucky slowly exited the car and walked towards her as Steve argued with some man.

”Shay, please. If you kill him, you'll be nothing more than the man that killed your father.”

Bucky didn't even know if he was talking to Shaylee or some demon thing. He was actually quite scared of whoever was in front of him. He began to miss the times when the Nazis, Italy and Japan were the scariest things. 

She looked at him, her eyes slowly turning back to normal and she looked down. 

”What have I done?”

She kneeled besides the dying man and placed her hand over his claw wounds, healing them. She then whispered ”suffer” into his ear. 

The man began to uncontrollably scream silently, his cries for help that could only be heard by him, his eyes melting. But there was nothing he could do. He was stuck in his state for eternity, forever screaming, forever in agony. 

She looked at her uncle with tears in her eyes. 

”Can we please go home?”

He held out a hand and helped her up and to the car.

”I'm sorry, but I don't have a weapon. I don't even know what kind of weapon you are talking about.” 

Once they entered the car, Shaylee and Bucky diverted their eyes towards a regular New York beggar.

”Just give me the weapon.”

Steve grabbed Bucky’s wrist and held up his metal arm.

”This?”

”No.”

The beggar pointed towards Shaylee.

”Her.”

Shaylee looked up from her phone screen.

”Oh shut up.”

She held out her hand and threw the man as far as her powers allowed her to and refocused her attention on her phone.

”Drugs.”

Steve began to go on an angry rant about drugs. 

”Steve?”

”Yes.”

”There's something I need to tell you. It might explain why that man came up to the car.”

They pulled into the driveway and Steve abruptly stopped. 

”What?”


	9. Chapter 9

Bucky told Steve everything he could remember from that file he saw eleven years ago.

”And that pretty much explains everything.”

”So I am a freak? A freak experiment huh?”

Shaylee walked from her room into the living room. She was listening in on the conversation. Truth is, she didn't know much about herself, either. 

”Shay you're not-”

”You don't have to make me feel better. Just be honest. Don't try to make it sound better.”

She walked back to her dark room and closed her door. She then went back to her favorite hobby, moving things with the mysterious energy coming from her hands while talking her aging bird. Steve got up, grabbed a locked box he grabbed from Sam’s house, and walked to Shaylee's door. He knocked softly before coming in.

”Kid, I grabbed this from your dad's house before you left.”

He held out the box for her.

”You should have it.”

She grabbed the box.

”Thanks, Uncle Steve.”

Steve walked out of her room and Shaylee opened the box. There were letters, notebooks, pictures and a gun. She shattered the gun. That was the last thing she wanted to see.

She analyzed the letters and notebooks. With every word she read, the image of her father was changed. She no longer knew him as a hero, a famously praised avenger, but a gang member. She didn't want to believe that her father was a possible killer, directly or indirectly. She didn't want to believe that he was a pimp, she didn't even want to believe that he would associate with those kind of people. She picked up a letter written in red ink and read it.

Sam was going to go public, to snitch. She knew that her father had some good in him. The only problem is, that the gang members didn't feel the same way. So they killed him. At least this is what the letter makes it out to be. She picked up the photos and letters with addresses and packed them with some clothes and other things. 

She knew what she had to do. 

She was going to leave in the morning, and go handle some business in the name of her father. 

She was going to be the weapon she was made to be. 

That morning, she woke up to Frank Sinatra being played on a record player. She threw on something and walked into the living room area. Everyone was eating breakfast, and there was a full plate waiting for her. She hesitantly sat down in front of it, picked up her plate, and began to slowly eat. She didn't exactly know how to tell her uncles, ”Hey! I'm going to go murder my father’s killers so can I go?”’

”Are you ok?”

She placed down her fork, and stood up.

”I have to go. I know who killed my father,”

She took a deep breath.

”I'm not letting my father just die, not if I can do something about it.”

They pleaded with her not to leave, but it didn't work. She was going to leave at the end. No efforts would work. And like she did last time, she put a barrier around her, making her untouchable. She grabbed her bag and left the house, walking out of the suburban neighborhood and into busy streets once again. 

God only knows how hard they tried to raise her right. They did everything for her, they broke their backs for her. They sent her to the best therapist in the state, had her tutored by Earth's most brilliant minds, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner and Reed Richards. The tried so hard to give her a normal life, to fix her in a sense. 

But there was no more they could do but wait for time to give the final verdict. And not being able to have any control over that verdict scared them the most. 


End file.
